Mastitis?!

[carmel23]

help! I think I have mastitis (well, I know I do):

I had very sore breast upon waking this morning; was ackey and sore and feeling funky all afternoon; then developed a fever and chills in the evening.

My boob has like the 'wedge-like' red mark and stuff---

I've been nursing all day, though--I think Josephine is beginning her 6 week growth-spurt nurse-a-thon ...

has anyone had these sympotoms and not taken antibiotics?

hope everyone is have a good time nursing (this is the first time I've ever had this after nursing for a total of four year and one month of my life! arg)

[firstkid4me]

I just went through mastitis in December, and I treated it without antibiotics (in fact, I was already on antibiotics for a sinus infection when I got the mastitis!) I used kellymom's website of instructions:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mom/mastitis.html

I took some ibuprofen, took a long hot shower where I massaged, massaged, massaged the plug, getting a lot of thick goopy milk out. I also tried the rosemary infusion (http://www.kellymom.com/herbal/natur....html#mastitis) but I did it wrong, so I think that's why it didn't work. I kept on nursing my toddler, had her cuddle with me on the couch while I snoozed, and just kept massaging throughout the day. That night, a bunch of blood and pus was coming out of the nipple, but I kept massaging until all the pus was out, and it healed on it's own.

[Mammax4]

Carmel23,

Warm compresses and massage can help. When you are in the shower, massage (gently) the area with the clogged duct/milk sinus. If you have your daughter nurse from that breast, try using a different hold - one you do not usually use. If you nurse her tummy to tummy, try the football hold. This will allow for a change in demand from that area. If you are using the affected breast second, try and stimulate her so she has a more alert and strong suck to help clear the blockage.

Also make sure that your bra is not putting pressure on that area.

Keep yourself hydrated and try to take it easy for the next little bit...and of course, nurse, nurse, nurse. If you start to feel worse, don't wait too long to see the dr.

Good luck, I hope you feel better soon.

Mich.

[pilllowhead]

Lurking from July DDC, I am so sorry, I had a horrible time with mastitis. I didn't have antibiotics but I didn't know I was that bad. Honestly, get in bed and DON'T get out for 2 days or so and nurse, nurse, nurse. The comprsses and massage are absolutely right, it may not feel so good but it's better than the absess I ended up with. Have you tried a cabbage leaf in your bra/against your breast? I never actually tried this but everyone says it draws out the milk. But please don't be afraid to take antibiotics if you need to and don't be too hard on your self if you have to...I ended up with 2 operations and 6 months of antibiotics from which it took my immune system years to recover. (Don't want to scare you, but please go to bed!!!)
The hot shower sounds good as well.

[Twilight]

I've had decent luck getting rid of plugs by applying moist heat before I nurse - get a disposable diaper and fill it with HOT water and press it on the sore spot. The diaper holds a lot of heat in for a while. After your child has nursed, use a pump to get out any other milk and massage the sore spot. After 2 feedings of doing this my plugs have gone away...

mastitis is no fun.. I'm sorry

[carmel23]

Originally Posted by pilllowhead

Lurking from July DDC, I am so sorry, I had a horrible time with mastitis. I didn't have antibiotics but I didn't know I was that bad. Honestly, get in bed and DON'T get out for 2 days or so and nurse, nurse, nurse. The comprsses and massage are absolutely right, it may not feel so good but it's better than the absess I ended up with. Have you tried a cabbage leaf in your bra/against your breast? I never actually tried this but everyone says it draws out the milk. But please don't be afraid to take antibiotics if you need to and don't be too hard on your self if you have to...I ended up with 2 operations and 6 months of antibiotics from which it took my immune system years to recover. (Don't want to scare you, but please go to bed!!!)
The hot shower sounds good as well.

pillowhead, I am sorry to hear about your experience! Thanks for the advice...

I've been showering, doing hot compresses and nursing a lot (and trying to change positions...)

I feel much better today--my fever : and chills are gone, although I am still trying to take it easy...

I did talk to my doctor about the antibiotics, and ended up taking them to prevent infection.

[COLOR="DarkOrange"Thanks everyone for the nice words and advice!][/COLOR]

[sweetney]

I got a bad case and did all of the above, but my fever started to get high 102.5 and was on the rise so my mifwife called in the antibiotics : . I felt better within 12 hours (though my headache lasted 3 more days). My little one did seem to spit up a lot more when I was on the antibiotics, but we're doing well now. Be sure to take some good probiotics!

[carmel23]

Originally Posted by sweetney

Be sure to take some good probiotics!

Amen to that sweetney! I've been eating tons of yogourt again and should be taking the pills I have of probiotics too--I hate all the fun that antibotics open one up to (yeast, etc.)

I hope you and your little one are doing better now!